Def Jam used to be the three headed monster; Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen, and Kevin Liles. Then in late January of this year, Cohen left the label he helped make a powerhouse for Warner Music. Immediately, the speculation began as to whether or not Liles would be the next out the door.
A month or so later, Liles did appear to be leaving. A large reason for his decision was the departure of Cohen, who had made Liles President 6 years earlier. Despite his talk of leaving, he never left. Late last week, his resignation became official.
LA Reid, the man who replaced Cohen as Chairmen, commented in a statement thanking Liles for his “remarkable contributions in establishing Def Jam as one of the great brands in the music business,” as well as “all of the help he has given me during the transition period since I came to IDJ.”
